BIOGRAPHY

Pritchett was born as Charlotte Elizabeth Harper in Marengo County, Alabama, USA, on 8 February 1875, although she claimed to have been born in 1866. Her father, a South Carolina native, descended from the Cherokee tribe, while her mother, born in North Carolina, descended from the Creek tribe. Her daughter claimed that her father lived to be 104, and her mother reached 116. They were bought and sold, and eventually ended up in Marengo County where their children were born. Apart from Charlotte, they had two sons and five daughters.

It was reported she married General Pritchett sometime in the 1880s. The couple had 13 children. Her husband passed away in 1938, in his 70s.

At the time of her claimed 119th birthday (more likely 110th) in February 1985, she had 41 grandchildren, 104 great-grandchildren, and 132 great-great-grandchildren. At the time, she was almost completely blind, and was grappling with both diabetes and a heart condition. It was reported that she never smoked.

Pritchett passed away in Dixons Mill, Marengo County, Alabama, USA, on 24 December 1985. Reports indicated that she underwent gallbladder surgery before her passing.

RECOGNITION

Pritchett claimed that she was born on February 8, 1866, which would have made her 119 years and 319 days old at the time of her death. If this claim were accurate, she would have assumed the title of the world’s oldest living person after the passing of 113-year-old Alice Coles in November 1978, holding onto that title until her own passing over seven years later. Eventually, Pritchett would have surpassed Delina Filkins‘ final age, thus becoming the oldest person ever, and subsequently becoming the first person to reach the age of 114.

Her claimed age was debunked by Okiku S. and Jimmy Lindberg, leading to the conclusion that she was more likely born in February 1875, which would have made her 110 years old at the time of her passing. This conclusion was reached based on the two earliest documents that were found: the 1880 and 1900 census records, which indicated her ages as 5 and 25, respectively, in the month of June for those respective years. Given her claim of being born in the month of February, both census records can support a birth year of 1875.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Indian slaves’ daughter celebrates 117th birthday” – unknown newspaper, 1983 (Imgur hosted)

* “Charlotte Pritchett celebrates 119” – The Anniston Star, 8 February 1985

* “Alabama’s oldest dies short of 120” – Rome News-Tribune, 5 January 1986

GALLERY